For all of us who’ve grown up listening to Linkin Park, there is no denying that the lyrics got us through most of our awkward teenage years. The lyrics of each song are dark and heartbreaking. However, what we didn’t know was that the words actually reflected Chester Bennington’s mental state.

Chester had been pretty vocal about his struggles with substance, especially after the ending of his first marriage. In fact, if you’re a true Linkin Park fan who followed their interviews, you already know that Chester spoke out openly about his alcohol problem. However, most of us thought it was a result of becoming famous. His addictions, however, actually stemmed from the fact that he was struggling with his mental health.

Here’s a video of him where he says he cannot even be left alone with himself because his mind is a bad place. If this doesn’t make you tear up a little, nothing will:

Isn’t it weird how we never saw Chester suffering through all the lyrics? 

Just like Chester, there are so many of our friends who talk about how they’re feeling but we often dismiss it as a bad day or a low phase. We never give them a listening ear till it’s too late. Moreover, the stigma that comes attached with mental illness keeps most of us from discussing our mental health openly. We avoid going to a doctor for it because ‘log baatein banayenge’. However, this needs to change because everyone needs a little support from time to time and if we can’t be there for each other, what are we even doing in life?